Friction-spring.



PATENTED FE 18, 1903.

- P.- 1115M. FRICTION SPRING. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19. 1902.

" 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

751K660] "I Z e ycyf No. 879,545. PATENTED FEB. 18, 1908. P. HIEN.

FRICTION SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1902.

3 SH EETS-SHEET 2.

No. 879,545. PATENTED FEB. 1a, 1908.

P. HIEN, FRIGT'ION SPRING.

T E E W/ 3 PHILLIP HIEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FRICTION -SPRING. I

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed July 19- 1902. Serial No. 116.187.

spring resistance by the relative movement between adjacent elements.

A further object of my irfvention is to provide an apparatus for resisting or absorbing a sudden blow or shock which will be simple in construction, inexpensive in manufacture and efficient in operation.

My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same is illustrated as embodied in several convenient and practical forms, and in which igure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view ough an embodiment of my invention, the parts being shown in their distended condition; Fig. 2 a view similar to Fig. 1, the parts be' shown as compressed; Fig. 3 a view similar to Fig. l of a modified embodiment of my invention; Fig. 4 a view ofthe modification shownin Fig. 3, the parts being shown compressed; Fig. 5 a detail elevational view of one of the expansible rings shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 an elevational view of a pair of spirally disposed spring rings; Fig. 7 a sectional view on lines 77, 6; Fig. 8 an elevational view of one of the comp ressible rings shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

ig. 9 an elevational view of one of the inner rings shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Similar reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the several figures No. 879,545. Patented Feb. 18, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILLIP HIEN, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have in- I vented a certain new. and useful Improvei ment in Friction-Springs, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact del scription of the same, such as will enable 1 others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to apparatus for yieldingly resisting a strain or for thr gradually absorbing a shock due for instance to the pull or push exerted upon the draw bar of a car incident to the starting or stopping of a train.

A comparatively limited relative movement between the draw bar and draft timbers of a car is permitted and in order that the sudden shocks in pulling and buffing may be absorbed or gradually transmitted from the coupler to the car frame, it is necessary that the apparatus should be interposed between the draw bar and draft timbers of a car capable of exerting a great resistance while its members arebeing relatively moved the available longitudinal distance. Heretofore apparatus for the purpose mentioned has comprised springs, or'friction surfaces or a combination of springs and friction surof the drawings. faces, the arrangement being such that a sud Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and den pull or push upon the draw bar is dissipated or gradually communicated to the draft timbers of a car through compressing interposed springs or relatively moving the friction devices. In order to secure a combined spring and frictional resistance it has previously been necessary so far as I am aware to employ frictional devices separate from and in addition to a spring or springs.

The primary object of my invention is to provide in an apparatus for transforming a sudden to a gradual relative movement between adjacent parts, a plurality of elements capablewhen subjected to compression of individually exerting a gradually yielding spring resistance and simultaneously generating a frictional resistance.

2 reference characters A and A designate followers such for instance as are located within the yoke of a draw bar and engage stops on the draft timbers of a car. The illustration of the draw bar and draft timbers of a car is unnecessary as they form no part of my invention.

The follower A is shown as provided with a cylindrical projection a which fits within a tubular portion 6 projecting from a transverse plate B. The follower A is provided with a projection a which extends within an opening formed in a transverse plate B The plates B and B are provided with tubular projections b, o which serve as stops to limit the movement of the plates towards each other.

A further object of my invention is to pro- A spring C is interposed between the folvide in an apparatus of the character relower A and the plate B which tends to se' ferred to, a series of resilient elements capaarate or force apart the follower A and tfie ble of first exerting a torsional resistance when subjected to compression and subsequently exerting a combined frictional and plate B.

A series of resilient elements which are shown in the form of open spring rings D,

D, and D, are located between the plates B, and B and surround the tubular projections 1) and b The springs are provided with inclined surfaces so that the cross section'of the rings is V-shaped, as shown in Fig. 1. Interposed'between the s ri'ng'rings D, D and D are surfaces inc med complementally to. the inclination of the ad'acent surfaces of the rings D, D and The interposed inclined surfaces may be in the form-of compressible rings E and E shown in detail in Fig. 8. Inclined surfaces E and E are interposed between the plates B and B and the adjacent surfaces of the s D and D he series of rings D, D and Dipreferably vary in expansibility, such variance being effected by the inclination of their surclined surfaces E, E E and E".

faces, in Figs. 1 and 2 for instance the inclined surfaceE forms a more acute angle with a horizontal line than does the inclined surface E which enga es the adjacent surface of the ring D. he angle of inclination of the engagedsurfaces E and D is still less acute but is more acute than the angle of inclination between the surface of the ring D which engages the inclined surface E The angle of inclination between the ring D and the surface E is less acute than that between the ring D and the surface'E.

The operation of the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is as follows;

When the followers A and A are moved together, due for instance to the relative movement between a draw bar and the draft timbers of a car, the s ring 0 is first compressed permitting the fol ower A to engage the tuular projection b on the plate B. Further movement of the followers A and A towards each other expands the rings D, D and D through the engagement of the in- If the inclined surfaces E, etc. are 0 en spring rings such as is shown in Fig. 8, t ey will be compressed through their engagement with the inclined surfaces on the expansible ri s D etc. The relative movement of the lid jacent surfaces of the members E etc. and the spring rings D, etc. produces friction which resists the movement of the followers towards each other, such movement of the followers being also resisted by the expansion they. will be brought into action as the more acute the angle of inclination between the engaged surfaces the greater will stance I have illustrated another embodiment of my invention in which the resilient elements are interposed directl expansibility owing to their being composed.

varies.

gether the resilient rin panded and the rings I, F and F subse-. quently ex anded in order. The inner elements G, G G7 and G may if desired also of different thicknesses, or they may be in In Figs. 3 and 4 the inclination between the engaged surfaces is the same,the serial action of the resilient elements being affected as above described by graduatingtheir thickness.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated still another form of resilient 'elementswhich may be employed in carrying out my invention. The expansible ring H is slightly spirally disosed as is-a'lso the cooperating inner ring J.

n the use of such rings when they are subjected to compression they are first flattened, thereby exerting a torsional resistance and are subsequently expanded and contracted through their enga ed inclined surfaces, pro ducing a combiner frictional and spring resistance. WVhen a series of such s irally'disposed resilient rings are employe for a frictionbuil'er it is unnecessary to employ a spring such as C in Figs. 1 and 2 to assume t a train, as such strain is absorbed by the torsional resistance produced in flattening the several resilient rings. The rings are only expanded and contracted b a sudden or violent pulling or'bufiing shoc occurring when the train is started or stopped.

It isof course obvious that incarryingout my invention a series of expan'sible rings may be em loyed in connection with non-compressib e members, such for instance as the ring G in Fig. 9 or vism-series of compressible sprmgsmay beused in connection .Wltll interposed non-expansiblemembers. It is also be inthe form of compressible springs and the form of solid rings as shown at G in Fig.9.

silient elements. In Figs. .3 and 4 for inv '80 s between plat'es'A and A upon which the orcewhich is to be resisted is exerted. The resilient elements F, F F and F are of graduated of difierent quantities of metal. In other words the thickness of the metal of the rings In this embodiment of my invention when the followers A and A are forced to-.

e usual strain incident to the running of Hill . e movement of the followers toerases obvious that the tension of the rings may i I of their friction surfacesor by varying the thickness of the rings. It is further evident that either or both of the expansible and compressible springs may be spirally disposed and at the same time graduated as to tension either by varying the inclination of.

their frictional surfaces or by graduating the thickness of the several rings.

, It is apparent that my invention is adapted for a variety of uses in addition to that of serving as a draw bar and buffing apparatus. It y invention may in fact be used wherever it is desired t9 absorb a violent shock or blow, or to transform a sudden or violent relative movement between the cooperating parts to a gradual relative movement, or to sustain a heavy load.

From the foregoing description it will be 1 observed that I have invented an apparatus for resisting a strain or for dissipating a shock composed of a series of elements capable of affording frictional as well as spring resistance, thereby avoiding the employment of friction devices separate froms rings inorder to attain a combined frictiona and spring resistance.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts, and the substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now fully describe what I claim as new, Letters Patent, is I 1. A device of the character described comprising a series of resilient elements having inclined frictional surfaces the surfaces on adjacent elements adapted when said series of elements sion to be relatively moved through engagement with each other thereby placing said resilient elements under tension.

2. A device of the character described comprising a series of resilient elements of graduated resisting capacity having inclined frictional surfaces adapted when said series of elements are subjected to compression to be relatively moved thereby placing said resilient elements under tension.

3. A device of the character described comprising a series of resilient rings having inclined frictional surfaces adapted when said series of rings are compressed to be relatively moved thereby placing said rings under tension. 4. A device of the character described comprising an expansible resilient ring and a compressible resilient ring, said rings having complemental inclined engaging frictional surfaces. i

l (I my invention and deslre to secure by be varied either by graduating the inclination i are subjected to compres-.

5. A device of the character described comprising a series of expansible resilient rings having inclined frictional surfaces and a compressible resilient ring interposed between adjacent expansible rings and having complemental inclined frictional surfaces.

6. A device of the character described comprising a series of spirally disposed expansible resilient rings having inclined frictional surfaces and a spirally disposed compressible resilient ring interposed between adjacent expansible rings and having complemental inclined frictional surfaces.

7. A device of the character described comprising a series of spirally dis osed expansible resilient rin s of graduate( resisting capacity having inclined frictional surfaces and a spirally dis osed compressible resilient ring interpose between adjacent expansible rings having complemental inclined frictional surfaces.

8. A device of the character described comprising a series of expansible resilient rin s of graduated resisting capacity having inc ined. frictional surfaces and a series of compressible resilient rings of graduated resisting capacity having complemental inclined en aging frictional surfaces.

9. A evice of the character described comprising a series of resilient elements having Inclined frictional surfaces the angle of inclination-of the surfaces bein graduated whereby when said series of elements are subjected to com ressionthe engagement between the grad iiated inclined frictional surfaces serially places said elements under tension. Y

10. A device of the character described comprising a series of resilient rings having inclined frictional surfaces, a mem er interposed between adjacent rings having inclined frictional surfaces complemental to the surfaces of the rings, the angle of inclination of said frictional surfaces being graduated whereby when said series of rings are subjected to com ression the engagement between the gra uated inclined frictional surfaces on said rings and members serially places rings under tension.

11. A device of the character described comprising a series ofopen spring rings having inclined frictional surfaces and a series of members having inclined frictional surfaces interposed between said rings and engaging the inclined surfaces of the adjacent rings, whereby when said series of rings are subjected to compression they are placed under tension through the engagement of the inclined surfaces thereof with the inclined surfaces of the interposed members.

12. A device of the-character described,

comprising a series of spirally disposed resilient open rings having inclined surfaces and a series of members interposed between said rings and having frictional surfaces inclined complementally to the adjacent surfaces of the rings whereby when said series of rings are subjected to compression they are first fiattened and thereby have torsional resistance imposed u on them and are subsequently placed un er tension through the engagement and relative movement between their inclined surfaces and the inclined surfaces of the interposed members.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, an open spring ring having an inclined frictional surface ada ted to be engaged by a similarly incline surface to impart tension to the ring.

14. In a device of the character described, a spirally disposed open spring ring having inc ined frictional surfaces adapted to be engaged by similarly disposed inclined surfaces.

15. A friction spring device comprising an outer and an inner series of resilient elements, the elements in each series having inclined frictional surfaces engaging corresponding inclined frictional surfaces on the elements in the other series whereby when the device is subjected to compression the elements in the outer series will be expanded and the elements in the inner series be contracted.

16. A friction spring device comprising an outer series and an inner series of spirally disposed resilient elements, the elements in each series having inclined frictional surfaces engaging corresponding inclined frictional surfaces on the elements in the other series, whereby when the device is subjected to compression the elements of the outer series will be expanded and the elements of the inner series will be contracted.

17. A friction spring device comprising an outer series of s irally disposed expansible elements, each e ement having inclined frictional surfaces on the opposite sides thereof, and an inner series of spirally disposed compressible elements, eac element having inclined frictional surfaces on the opposite sides thereof, the elements in the inner series being interposed between and engaging the inclined frictional surfaces on the adjacent elements in the outer series, whereby when the device is subjected to compression the elements in the outer series will be expanded and the elements in the inner series contracted through the engagement and relative movement of the inclined frictional surfaces.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

PHILLIP HIEN. 

